Improvement in explosive compounds



UNITED STATES PATENT Omen JOSEPH W. WILLARD, OF SANFRANCISCO,CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS.

Specification forming partof Letters Patent No. 157,054, dated November17,1874; application filed July 9, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. WILLARD,

of San Francisco city and county, State of California, have invented anImproved Explosive Compound and I do hereby declare the followingdescription and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enable anyperson skilledin the art or science to which it most nearly appertainsto make and use my said inorder to avoid premature explosion, and otherdangerous results, it has been mixed with certain absorbents whichproduce, to a lim Thesehave all ited extent, beneficial efiects. beenobjectionable in one or more features.

It the absorbent used be infusorial earth, or any of its equivalents,the absorbent has no explosive qualities, and the earth is left as aresiduum; and experiment shows that some of the globules of theglycerine retained in the cells of the absorbent are not exploded, butremain intact, to the great danger of the miner.

Another objection to the use of nitroglycerinc compounds has been thegeneration of noxious vapors, from incomplete combustion, when the blastis exploded, which seriously aii'eets the miners, and retards them inworking.

My compound not only overcomes the dilficnlties above stated, but at thesame time avoids the generation of gases deleterious to workmen, andleaves in the atmosphere harmless vapors.

In order that those skilled in the art may make and use my invention, Iwill proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out. r I

In order to make explosives under my invention of different grades, Imix the following ingredients as named, and in about the proportionsspecified: a

GRADE 1.

, Parts. Carbonate of magnesia. 20.85 Nitrate of potash A i 2.10Chlorate of potash 1.05 Whitesugar..'........l 1.00 Nitro-glycerine75.00

GRADE 2. I y Parts. Carbonate of magnesia... 10.00

Nitrate of potash .L 31.00

- Chlorate of potash 3.34

'Sugar 15.06

N itro-glycerine 40.00

The carbonate of magnesia, besides neutral? izing the free acids in thenitro-glycerinc, is converted, in part, into nit-rate of magnesia, whichis also explosive.

In oider'to make a thorough mixture, and insure a perfect explosion, allthe dry materials must be reduced to a tine powder before incorporatingthem with the Intro-glycerine. In these compositions'of matter I succeedin combinihg with nitro'glycerine a combination of ingredients whichabsorbs the nitroglycerine, neutralizes the free acids, prevents theformationot' noxious gases, and in itself is an explosive, thusproducing a new composition having an aggregation of new and. usefulproperties and results hitherto unknown.

I do notclaim, broadly, the combination of nitro-glycerine withpulverized solids, so as to absorb it, and render it more safe andefficieut but 4 y l Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- I I .An explosivecompound composed of car: bonate of magnesia, nitrate of potash,chloride of. potash, sugar, and nitro-glycerine, substantially in themanner specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

'Witnesses: J. W..WILLARD, [L.s.]

JNO. L. Boom, l. M. RICHARDSON.

